Sacred Tobacco: Hapé and the Art of Presence

Hapé, a sacred tobacco preparation, has been used by Indigenous peoples across the Amazon as a medicine for clarity, presence, and connection for centuries. Blown gently into the nostrils, this finely ground blend of tobacco leaves and sacred ashes activates the senses in a unique way, opening inner vision and anchoring attention in the present moment. Traditionally used in ceremony, Hapé invites stillness, deepens awareness, and connects practitioners to both their inner landscape and the living forest.

Together, we will take part in a hands-on preparation of Hapé itself for an embodied practice that honors its lineage while creating a shared field of reverence. In preparing Hapé together, participants directly encounter the care, ritual, and mindfulness that go into its making, deepening our relationship to the medicine before it is received. Once prepared, we will enter into ceremony to experience Hapé as a mindfulness tool — to explore how this ancestral medicine can enhance meditation, sharpen presence, and open pathways of reverence, reciprocity, and inner reflection.

As interest in mindfulness and plant medicines grows in the Global North, this is a rare opportunity to build a bridge between ancient contemplative traditions and modern practices of meditation. 

Participants will:

• Discover the cultural, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of Hapé within Indigenous traditions.
• Identify best practices for integrating Hapé mindfully and respectfully into diverse contexts.
• Experience Hapé within a contemplative framework designed to deepen meditation and self-awareness.
• Prepare Hapé using traditional methods, guided by cultural sensitivity and embodied learning.
• Participate in a Hapé ceremony.

This is an invitation to experience an ancient practice through a new lens — one that connects forest wisdom and contemporary contemplative life.

This workshop includes a $25 materials fee.